Lza Urges Restoration of Federal Funds to Jewish Hospitals, Institutions

Declaring that many Jewish health and welfare agencies are facing serious financial difficulties because of the elimination or reduction of federal aid to hospitals and child care institutions, Dr. Judah J. Shapiro, president of the Labor Zionist Alliance called yesterday on President Nixon to restore the cuts.

Addressing the LZA National Executive Committee, Dr. Shapiro said that “in the present situation of government confusion, the confidence of the American people could be restored in some measure by a serious effort to reconsider those cuts in health and welfare service.” He called on the Administration and Congress to “recognize their role of concern with the well being of its citizens and to overcome the recent erosion of 40 years of social legislation which had heretofore provided Americans with hope and opportunity.”

Dr. Shapiro said that “we now find that the present Administration will “also cost the Jewish community actual cash because of the reduction and destruction of major social programs.” This situation, Dr. Shapiro asserted, “of reduction by the government is compounded for Jews because it means that less funds from the Jewish community will be available for such a high priority item such as Jewish education.”

Pinhas Sapir, Israel’s Minister of Finance, will meet in New York with United Jewish Appeal Cabinet members June 28, Paul Zuckerman UJA general chairman, announced today. Sapir will discuss the impact of the increased immigration of Jews to Israel from the Soviet Union. Zuckerman said the assembled leaders will discuss the immediate need for substantial flow of cash to support UJA’s humanitarian services in Israel. “Pledges,” Zuckerman said, “are running well ahead of last year at this time. Yet, the actual cash flow is considerably less. Pledges alone cannot do the job. We must find new ways to stimulate the massive conversion of pledges into cash.”